Vans Warped Tour
July 19, 2003
Smirnoff Music Centre
Dallas, TX

Vans Warped Tour is a true musical renegade, a group of artists shaking the collective fist of punk in the general direction of what is commonly called "the man". Well, in true Empire Records spirit, "Damn the man!" The line-up for the 2003 tour was, to say the least, diverse and somewhat unexpected. Bands such as Dropkick Murphys, The Used, AFI, and Rancid totaled the shows lineup as possibly one of the best in Warped Tour history.

The show stop in Dallas, Texas was no exception to the magnificence the tour has come to be expected to offer. As with every year, the weather was a notable topic, with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees and covered areas being few and far between. One of the main attractions offered by the tour was the occasional water misting setups between stages. Fans were continuously flocking towards them to get drenched.

Weather complaints aside (it would be just plain wrong to hold that against them), the day long event featured music that topped all others and sport excitement to keep the fans entertained. Lasting 8 ½ hours, not a single minute was neglected. As one band finished on a stage, another would begin at an adjacent stage, and with plenty of stages, there was music for everyone's taste. Vendors and promoters were picked well, I must say. The products being offered fit the Warped Tour scene to a T. Everything from $1 CDs to animal rights buttons and bumper stickers were available for your liking.

The tour has a certain magical aspect to it, and it has been perfected over the years. The entire atmosphere has evolved year after year, yet the tour has maintained its basic principals: punk rock, rebellion, and just plain having a good time. Much respect goes out to what I would like to appropriately name the best punk tour summer has to offer.

-Elizabeth Pardieu
bandchat.org Correspondent